Around here, the harvest season is on and most people are pulling up their gardens, but there's one thing you should do now to prep for next year: Give your soil a little "garden food" so it's full of nutrients when you start planting next year. Grab a plastic bag; all you need are some fallen leaves.

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Most people finish with their gardens in the late summer and fall and forget about them until next April or May. Our friends over at Old World Garden Farms explain that a little organic material over those plant beds in the fall will do wonders come spring. Plus, some of the best "garden food" in the world is easy to find everywhere, for free, right now:

We take leaves and shred them up with our lawnmower – and then spread a 2” layer on top of each raised planting row. You can either dig it into your soil with a pitchfork – or let it decompose on top and turn it under next spring before planting. This latter method also helps to provide your soil with protection from the winter winds and erosion.

If you are not blessed with trees on your property – take a drive around and find neighborhoods that are – it usually won’t take long to find them. Many times, the hard work is done for you – with the homeowners already raking leaves to their curb or even bagging them up curbside for pickup. A simple asking of the homeowner can usually net you more than you can handle.

They also note that if you compost, a layer on your planting beds in the fall will make sure the soil is rich come spring, and if you're really serious, consider planting a cover crop to loosen the soil, minimize erosion, and keep weeds from growing. The super-serious can do all three of these things, but if you have a small plot in your backyard, some discarded leaves or compost may be more than enough to ensure a great growing season next year.